Draft-rigging for railway-cars.



No. 690,684. f Patented '1am 7, :902. J. M. wAuaH.

DRAFT BIGGING FOR RAILWAY CARS..

(No Model.) I

N JL T UNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MILTON WAUGH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-RIGGING FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 690,684, dated January '7, 1902.

Application filed August' 7, 1901. Serial No. 71,144. (No model.)

resistance to the shocks occurring in coupling and due to variable strains in traction is obtained.

' draw-bar spring is used in connection with The present invention relates more specifically to that class of connecting devices of the character illustrated in my prior application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 60,685, filed May 17, 1901, wherein a coiled spring follower-plates, which follower-plates engage at their end shoulders on the draftsills and intermediate endwise-sliding abut-4 ment-plates located between the ends follower-plates. e,

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, andmore particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, Figure lis a horizontal section illustrating'fragments of the draftof said sills, the draft-irons attached to said sills,-

and the inner end of the draw-bar and its yoke, together with the draw-bar spring and the follower-plates at the ends of said yoke and the abutment-plates engaging the ends of said follower-plates.L Fig. 2 is a vertical v section of the parts shown in Fig. 1, thecoiled .e 3 of Fig. 2.

spring and draw-bar spring ybeing omitted. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on line Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the abutment-plates` removed from its draft-iron. Y

Referring to the drawings, A A indicate the draft-sills of a car, and B the draw-bar, which is located centrally between the draftsills and provided at its inner end with a yoke B', which is made in` the usual or anypreferred manner.

C designates a spiral coiled spring which is located between the arms of the yoke, being held from vertical displacement by said arms. At each end of the spring C, within the yoke, is located a set of transversely-arranged spring-steel follower-plates, the follower-plates constituting the set at the outer or forward end of said spring being indicated by the letters D D. and those at the inner or rear ends of said spring being indicated by the letters E E'.

F F designate draftirons which are attached to the inner faces of the draft-sills and which are provided with forwardly and rearwardly facing 'shoulders ff', adapted for engagement therewith of the ends of the eX- terior c urved follower-plates D E. On said v draft-irons aremounted two horizontally-sliding abutment-plates G G, the ends of which form forwardly and rearwardly facing shoulders g g', opposed to the shoulders ff on the draft-irons and adapted for contact with the endsof the inner straightfollower-plates D E. The construction of said abutment-plates and the manner of mounting the samein the draftironsconstitute one feature of the present'invention. The draft-irons are shown in the .drawings as having the form of recessed or flanged plates, which are seated in mortises in the inner faces of the draft-sills Aand are,

secured thereto by bolts in the manner shown. Said draft-irons are each provided with an upper horizontal iiange fZ andvertieal ribs f 3 f 3, located near theends thereof, and which form with said horizontal fiange f2 and a separate horizontal bottom plate or strap f4 recesses or sockets in whichthe ends of the follower-plates are located and Within which the sliding abutment-plates G are inserted and adapted to slide. The inner faces of the vertical ribs f5 f3 constitute the inwardlyf facing shoulders f f hereinbefore referred to. The .horizontal plates or straps f4 are removably secured to the lower margins of "said plates, so as to form horizontal supporting-surfaces at the bottoms of said recesses or sockets, said'plates f4 being adapted to support the ends of the follower-plateswhen the same are in place within the recessesor sockets of the draft-irons and by being removablelenabling saidfollower-plates to be easilydropped IOO tached. The said bottom plates or straps f4 are held in place by means of vertical bolts F', which pass downwardly through the flange f2.

Provision is made for holding or confining the sliding abutment-plates G in contact with the draft-irons while permitting free endwise movement of said plates, embracing an interlocking connection one between the margins of each plate and the draft-iron on which it slides, whereby said plates will be held in position on the draft-irons without reliance upon Irhe bottom plates or straps of said draft-irons. Said abutment-plates are herein shown as made of a width to fit within the space between the bottom plates and top flanges of the draft-irons and are provided with longitudinal slots g2 g2, through which pass horizontal pins f5 f5, which projectinwardly from the draft-irons. As herein shown, said pins have screw-threaded engagement with the irons and project through said slots a slight distance beyond the inner faces of lthe abutment-plates. It' desired, however, the pins f5 maybe replaced by lugs integrally formed on the draft-irons. The weights of the abutment-plates are supported by the bottom plates or straps fA1 of the draft-irons, the pins f5, and the extensions of the draft-irons, in which are formed the grooves in which the lugs G of the abutment-plate slide.

For confining the abutment-plates in contact with the draft-ironsthe said abutment-plates are provided at their upper margins with inwardly-directed longitudinal flanges G', as seen in Fig. 3. Said flanges occnpyinwardlyopening guide-grooves formed in flange-like extensions F2 on the upper margins of the draft-irons, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

said grooves being made of sufficient length y to permit the required travelof the abutmentplates. Said grooves in the extension F2 and thelugs of the abutment-plates are so formed that the lugs can be introduced into the grooves only While said plates occupy an inclined position with thelower margins thereof directed inwardly from the draft-irons and so that when said flanges have been entered into said grooves and the abutmen t-plates are seated against the inner faces of the draft-irons the inner or extreme margins of the flanges G will overhang the parts of the extensions F2 below the guide-grooves therein, the extension l forming horizontal bearings on which said extreme ends of the flanges rest and slide. Preferably and as herein shown the flange G/ is made of curved form and the projection Fzof corresponding shape, this form of the flange being employed to facilitate the introduction and removal of the flange to and from the guidegroove. In placing said abutmentplates on the draft-irons the flanges G are inserted in the guide-grooves before the pins f5 are inserted in place, and after the said abutment-plates arein place on the draft-irons the pins are inserted through the slots g2 into the openings in the draft-irons and screwed into place.

The lower margins of the abutment-plates are preferably arranged to have sliding engagement with the lower detachable plates or strips of the draft-irons, and in order to prevent lateral play or movement of the lower margins of said abutment-plates inward or away from the draft-irons the lower margins of the abutment-plates are provided with depending flanges G2,which extend downwardly between the lower margins of thedraft-irons and the adjacent edges of the bottom plates f, as shown in Fig. 3. The abutment-plates are placed in engagement with the draft-irons before the bottom plates or straps f4 are pnt in place, and after said straps are attached to the draft-irons the lower parts of the abut ment-plates will be prevented from swinging inwardly and out of interlocking connections with the pinsf5. 'If by accident the bottom plates or straps f4 of the draft-irons be detached and become lost, the abutment-plates will still be held in place by theinterlocking engagement of the flanges G' with the longitudinal guide-grooves in the extensions F2 of the draft-irons, and inasmuch as said abutmentplates cannot be detached from the draft-irons until said draft-irons are made to assume an inwardly-inclined position and as the coiled spring C prevents the lower parts of said plates from swinging inwardly said spring acts to prevent detachment of said lugs from the irons so long as said spring is in place.

As herein shown, the abutment-plates are recessed to give lightness,being provided with two horizontal or longitudinal ribs g3 g4 at the top and bottom edges thereof, two end ribs g5 g5, and an intermediate horizontal rib gf". Said end ribs are made of considerable thickness to give the requisite strength to the plate and to form bearing-surfaces of suitable width for engagement with the ends of the followerplates, and said intermediate ribs serve as braces between said end ribs.

As before stated, the draft-irons fit within mortises in the inner faces of the draft-sills, and the ends of said draft-irons are provided with shoulders ff, which bear against the ends of the mortises in the draft-sills, and on the extremities ofthe plates are formed longitudinally-extending flanges F3, which are adapted to extend over the inner surfaces of `the draft-sills adjacent to the ends of said mortises. Said draft-irons are secured to the sills by suitably-applied bolts I-I Il, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l. The corners of said draft-irons at the bases of the flanges F3 are rounded and engage rounded corners of the mortises,this construction being similar to and made for the same purpose as shown in my prior application hereinbet'ore referred to.

In order to stiften and strengthen the ends of the draft-irons and the flanges F3 thereon, vertical ribs fTfT are shown as formed on said flanges parallel with the ribs f3, said ribs f3f7 being castintegral with the upper flanges f2, which latter are extended outwardly to the IOO IIO

outer ends of the flanges F3.` Intermediate horizontal ribs f 8 are arranged to extend from the ribs f3 to'the ribs f7 and are continued in the form of triangular ribs fg, which extend from said ribs f7 to the outer ends of the flanges F3. The bolts F', by which the lower plates or straps of the draft-irons are held in place, pass through the anges f2 and the horizontal ribs f8 between the ribs f 3 and f7. The bolts II are shown as inserted through the end portions ofthe draft-irons between the vertical ribs f3 f7 and are provided with heads which are seated in the bottoms of the recesses formed between said ribs, and in order to afford room for the vertical bolts F' said bolt-heads are sunk into deep recesses formed to receive the same, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, the draft-irons being provided on their inner faces with inwardlyprojecting bosses f10 to provide for said recesses and to give suii'icient thickness to the metal at the points where the bolts pass through the draft-irons.

Referring now more specifically to the construction and arrangement'of lthe several follower-plates and the mannerin which the same operate in connection with the sliding abutment-'plates G, the same will be understood from the following: The drawings show each set of follower-plates as consisting of four outer curved plates D E and three inner straight plates D E; but a greater or less number of plates may be used in each instance, according to the thickness of the plate and other circumstances. The outer curved plates when the draw-bar is in its normal or abutment-plates GrA upon movement of thedraw-bar in either direction, whilethe intermediate portions of said plates bear against the ends of the coiled draw-bar spring 2C. Said intermediate portions of the straight plates also bear against the convex or crowning faces of the curved plates'D and E. In the normal positions of the parts the ends of the straight follower-plates D' E are outlof contact with the ends of the abutment-plates G. The parts being in this position, when.

the draw-bar is forced toward the center of the car by the shock .of vcoupling'the end thrust of the draw-bar is conveyed through the curved follower-platesD,the flat followerplates D', the spiral spring C,the flat followerplates E', and the curved follower-plates E to the forwardly or iontwardly facing shoulders `f on the draft-irons. After the spiral spring has been compressed to some. extent the ends of the iat plates D are brought into ,against the inner ends or shoulders g contact with the adjacent ends of the sliding abutment-plates G, with the 'result of forcing or moving said plates endwise and bringing Ithe same into contact with the ends of the flat plates E of the innermost set of plates. Thereafter upon continuous endwise movement of the abutment-plates said platesD E are flexed until they are brought into contact throughout their length with the curved plates D E. It will therefore be seen that during the movement of the parts from the time the said plates D' E' are brought into contact with the sliding abutment-plates the movement of the draw-bar is resisted not only by the tension of the spring C, but also by the resistance aorded by the bending of said plates D E. If after the parts are brought into the position last mentioned inward` pressure on the draw-bar due to the shockA of coupling is sufficient to still further bend the plate and is greater than will be absorbed by the resistance of the flat plates D E the curved plates E and said plates E', which latter are at that time curved, will be attened or straightened, while at the same time the plates D D will remain in their curved form.A At this time further inward movement of the draw-bar will be resisted by the connbined action of all of the plates which willbe in contact with each other and will unitedly resist the inward lstress on the draw-bar. When the several plates are thus brought into contact with each other, they are intended to withstand the greatest inward pressure to which the draw-bar may be subjected, although by reason of the fact that a number of plates are employed and. that vthey still have some degree of resiliency or capacity for .yielding under strain they will still present to some degree a cushioned resistance to th inward movement of the draw-bar.

In the outward movement of the draw-bar, such as occurs when the train is starting or under similar conditions, the movementsbefore described will be reversed., the yoke in such case acting. against the spring -Eand' tending to bring therends of the plates. E of the sliding abutment-plates. l l

From a comparison of the construction shown in this application with that shown in my said prior application, Serial No`..60,685, itwill be seen that two sets of plates shown in said prior application-to wit, the outermost IIO straight plates-are omitted and thatthee'nd of the drawbar and draw-bar yoke` bear against the convex parts ofthefcurvedplates. As shown, however, the number of straight plates omitted have been added, one, to the straight set retainedand theA otherto the,

curved set, whereby thecombined strength of said follower-plates remains-practically the same. g

From the foregoing it will be obviousthat the device as awhole aifords a graduated resistance to sudden and severe vshocks or strains acting on the draw-bar in either direction. At the beginning of the inward movement of the draw-bar said movement is resisted by the draw-bar spring C acting alone. When the sliding or movable abutment-plates are brought into contact with the flat plates D E', the movement of the draw-bar is resisted by said plates E D in addition to that of the spiral spring, and after said plates E' D have been brought into contact with the curved plates further movement will be resisted by the parts already in action and by a set of curved plates on that side of the drawbar in the direction toward which the draw-bar is moving. It will also be noted that after the abutment-plates G have carried the flat plates D E into contact with the convex sides of the curved plates upon a further continuation of the pressure the endwise movement of said abutment-plates tends to thrust the ends of the innermost plates against the outer ends of the curved plates, and as the latter are then in contact with the shoulders on the draft-irons the said ends of the curved plates will be clamped or confined between the innermost plates and said shoulders, with the result of producinga large amount of frictional resistance to the endwise movement of the end portions of the curved plate, and as the ends of said curved plates must necessarily move apart or spread endwise in the straightening of the plates such frictional resistance to the outward movement of their ends will greatly increase the resistance to the straightening of said curved plate, and thus aiford additional resistance to the endwise movement of the draw-bar.

From the above it will be seen that not only do the follower-plates arranged in connection with the sliding or endwise-moving abutment-plates operate to aord a graduated spring resistance in opposition to the shock of coupling or the shock which occurs in startingthe train, but a greatly-increased resistance is afforded at the time the drawbar reaches the inward or outward limit of its movement, and the final arrest of the movement of the draw-bar will be accompanied by a yielding resistance operating to gradually transmit to the draft-sills exceptionally powerful or severe shocks upon the draw-bar.

I claim as my invention- 1. A draft-rigging comprising draft-sills, provided with inwardly-facing shoulders, a draw-bar, a coiled draw-bar spring, spring follower-plates located one at each end of said draw-bar spring and adapted for engagement at their middle parts with the draw-bar spring and for contact at their ends with said shoulders, and endwise-sliding abutment-plates located between the ends of said followerplates, said abutment-plates being connected with the draft-sills by means embracing a guide-groove on one part and a flange on the other part, adapted for interlocking connection when the abutment-plates are in their normal or working positions and for disconnection when said plates are thrown out of said normal or working positions.

2. A draft-rigging comprising draft-sills, draft-irons secured to said sills and provided with inwardly-facing shoulders, a draw-bar, a coiled drawbar spring, spring followerplates located one at cach end of said drawbar spring, and endwise-sliding abutmentplates located between the ends of said follower-plates, said draft-irons and abutmentplates being provided with guide-grooves and flanges adapted for 'interlocking engagement when the abutment-plates are in their normal positions and for disconnection when the said plates are swung away from the draftirons.

3. A draft-rigging comprising draft-sills, recessed draft-irons secured to said sills, and endwise-sliding abutment-plates mounted on the draft-irons, each of said draft-irons being provided on one of its edges with a flangelike projection provided with a guide-groove and the abutment-plates being provided with laterally-projecting flanges adapted to engage and slide in said guide-grooves.

4. A draft-rigging comprising draft-sills, recessed draft-irons provided with inwardlyfacing shoulders, and sliding abutment-plates mounted on said draft irons, each of said abutment-plates having a sliding interlocking connection with the draft-irons on which it is mounted, embracing a flange-like projection of curved form on one edge of the draft-iron, said projection being provided with a guide-groove and a curved Hange on the corresponding edge of theabutment-plate adapted to engage said guide-groove.

5. A draf t-rigging comprising draft-sills, draft-irons attached to said sills and provided with detachable supporting-stri ps detachably secured to the lower edges thereof and abutment-plates having sliding interlocking engagement at their upper edges with the draftirons by means of projections on said upper edges of the draft-irons shaped to form guidegrooves, and flanges on the upper edges of the draft-irons adapted to engage said guidegrooves, said supporting-strips being adapted to engage the lower edges of said abutmentplates to hold the same in operative position.

G. A draft-rigging comprising draft-sills, recessed draft-irons secured to said sills, and follower-plates located in the recesses of the draft-irons, and detachable strips forming the lower walls of said recesses, said abutment-plates having interlocking engagement at their upper edges with the draft-irons by means of grooved projections on the draftirons and flanges on the abutment-plates, and said abutment-plates being provided at their lower edges with depending iianges which engage the inner edges of the said detachable strips.

7. A draft-rigging comprising draft-sills, draft-irons secured to said sills, a draw-bar, a coiled draw-bar spring, spring followerplates located one at cach end of said draw- IIO IIS

bar spring and extending at their ends into the recesses of the draft-irons,said draft-irons being provided with detachable bottom strips and sliding follower-plates located within the recesses of the draft-irons and having sliding interlocking engagement at their upper edges with the said draft-irons and sliding engagement at their lower Vedges with said strips. l

8. A draft-rigging comprising `draft-si1ls provided with forwardly and rearwardly facing shoulders, a draw-barya coiled draw-bar spring, spring follower-plates located between each end of the draw-bar spring and the drawbar, and having their ends separated from each other, the outermost of said springplates being adapted'to act against the shoul- In testimony that I claim the yforegoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 5th day of August,A. D.

` JAMES MILTON WAUGI-I. I

Witnesses: u

C. CLARENCE POOLE, WILLIAM L. HALL. 

